A Language Book for Paris

This series is an easy way to introduce children to new languages. The included CD, basically, reads the books and sings the songs that go along with the storyline. The story follows the narrator’s day from morning to night with many familiar tunes sung in both English and French. While there are a ton of bilingual French books available, this one really appeals to my kids, so maybe it will appeal to yours.

Please note: We have the German version of this book. Since my kids went to preschool in Germany, I’m very familiar with the songs my kids learned in school. I wouldn’t say this is the most authentic experience because I do think the goal is to introduce the language with rhythms kids are used to. But, still, my kids really enjoy listening and singing along.

A Loved Book for Paris

People love this book. As grandfather and grandson walk around the city, the reader gets to experience Paris right along with them.

This made the cut because it is the one book that I see parents rave about in family travel groups I belong to. Their one request? That this style of book was made in every city. Sounds like a win to me.

A Journal Book for Paris

This book feeds into all of the ways I think books help kids learn about other cultures. (Real quick, scroll to the first sentence I wrote for this post, or click to one of my first posts about travel books – this is something I can’t stress enough.)

Anyway great travel books do at least one of three things: gives them info, helps them explore, and makes a great souvenir. The Leap and Hop Paris Travel Journal surpasses all three. It gives them the foundation of information needed to make a successful trip, provides prompts and space to give readers opportunities to think deeper and journal those thoughts while there, and it is a souvenir from the trip with their personal memories making it, most likely, the most valuable souvenir.

Check. Check. And Check.

A Guidebook for Paris

While many big travel guide publishers offer specific guides to the city for kids, I like this one.

This guide to Paris was written by a mom with three kids. She shares information on the sights to see, with the added bonus of including Paris-only type of experiences that will make this trip stand out amongst the rest.

I only have one caveat with this and any guidebook that isn’t updated annually. If you’re planning an itinerary using this book, cross reference operating hours via the web to make sure you don’t waste your time looking for something that no longer exists. Yep. That’s from personal experience (though not with this book).

Award-winning books for Paris

A Caldecott book for Paris

This Caldecott-award winning book tells the story of the orphan, Madeline, who lives in Paris. The illustrations bring the reader to some of the sights that they are sure to see on their trip and will give them an easy way to connect those places with a beloved tale. Most of all, this book made the list because it is a classic that has stood the test of time. Even though the illustrations are from the 1950s, kids will still be able to relate to the places they’ll visit.

A Newberry book for Paris

This Newberry-award honoree holds a special place in my heart. On my last trip to Paris I waited, with my family, to board a boat to view the city. While we waited, my kids (1 and 3 at the time) played a game where they counted in German, said go, and took off from one tree to another. During this game, a family sat on a bench and ate their picnic lunch. They watched my kids play. I don’t think this family was French. They weren’t American. Or German. But, they connected with my kids. Their preteen kids soon joined in. They counted. They ran. They laughed. It was one of my favorite travel moments ever.

And that is why this book is on my list. Not because its my story, but because it reminds me of my story. And it takes place under a bridge in Paris.

More books on Paris

This really is just a tiny fraction of books about Paris. There are so many, many more awesome books that should be part of your collection whether you are traveling there or just love this beautiful city. As of the writing of this post there are 57 books on the KTB Global Bookshelf set in France, with a good chunk of those set in Paris.

In looking for Paris-specific books I’ve discovered more that I’m putting in my queue to add. So, please come back and check. Let me know if I’m missing any obvious books, and let me know what your list would look like.

Look at any list of places to go in 2017 and you’ll likely find Canada. It is the top destination of this year. While it’s always a top destination in my heart, part of the reason for its worldwide appeal in 2017 is because they’ll be celebrating their 150th anniversary of Confederation this year. And that celebration includes many cool events, activities, and deals throughout the year.

Some highlights that I’ve come across that are especially appealing to my readers include:

Multicultural celebrations. I love how Ottawa has invited the international community to host events in honor of Canada’s 150th birthday. Between March and December, you’ll find programming from specific partners representing many of the world’s countries. Find out the details here.

The exchange rate is awesome! If you’re coming from the US, your dollar will go farther than it has in the past.

If, for some reason, you can’t make it to Canada this year but still want to participate in the fun, then I have an alternative plan. Books! Of course, right?

So in honor of 150 years of Canada, I present to you (drumroll) – 150+ children’s books set in Canada (loud applause).

Enjoy.

Please note: There are at least 150 different books listed below. However, I do list some books more than once if I notice that they fit more than one category. And sometimes I miss that they fit more than one category, so they’re only listed in one.

Please also note: Clicking on the book title will most likely take you straight to the link on Amazon. From there you can look at the book’s cover, read a description, see similar books, and buy it if you like it. There is at least one instance where clicking on the book title will take you to the creator’s website.

Please note this third thing: Some of the book listed below are also available on the Epic App. In a nutshell, Epic is like a Netflix of Children’s books. For a fee of $5 a month, you get access to a ton of books and other fun materials for kids. The app is free for the first month, so test it out if you see a bunch of Canada books that you want to read. If it is available on the Epic App, I’ll link to the Epic sign-up page. Click on the book title to go to the books Amazon link. If the book is also available via theEpic! App (an awesome app of children’s books that’s free to try and $5 after the first month) I’ll have a link toEpic! after the title. Pretty cool way to access a ton of books for free.

Also: This is a long post.

150+ Children’s books set in Canada

Putting these books in any kind of order that would make sense to a parent was hard. There’s a diverse range of book represented below. Sorting by category became very difficult… there’s a ton of them. Instead, I opted to have two main sections:

Books about Canada as a whole (or where the specific place within Canada isn’t as obvious), organized into ages. These age ranges are just an estimate, so if your child straddles two of the groups, you may find the perfect fit by looking at the other list.

Books organized by the Province they are more obviously set in

There are several books that are part of a series listed below. Just click on the series and it will take you to the bottom of the page where I share several titles from that series. Then click “back to the top” to continue reading.

Children’s books set in Canada

Children’s books set in Canada, age range 0-5

The Canada Concepts Series are a set of board books based on different aspects of Canada. Click here for the whole series.

Series set in or about Canada

I referenced these above. Here’s the list of all (or a large selection) of the books in the series.

Anne of Green Gables Series, by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Ages 9-12

The Anne of Green Gables series holds a special place in many hearts. The story takes place in the early 1900s. Anne is an orphan mistakenly sent to Prince Edward Island to help a brother and sister on their farm. They were expecting a boy. While the novel is the best way to experience most stories, there are also films, television, musicals and plays to tell the story.

Canada Concepts Series, by Per-Henrik Gürth, Board Book

Introducing Canada to the youngest readers-to-be is easy with the Canada Concepts Series. These colorful books look at various aspects of life in Canada, and also help kids learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors, and more.

The Kids Book of…, various authors, ages 8-12

Ready to learn almost everything there is to know about Canada? The Kids Book of… series will help. The Kids Book of Canada book covers a little bit of everything. The format includes maps, timelines, people, history, and more. Follow the format in other books in the series for details on specific aspects of Canada’s story. Check out the titles below for more information:

Discover Canada Province by Province series, various authors, 5+

Using the alphabet, the Discover Canada Province by Province series dedicates each book to a different province. Focus on the places you’re most interested in to get a detailed look at the province A-Z, or collect them all to start your mission to become a Canada province expert.

I’m planning a trip to one of my favorite places on earth – EPCOT Center!!! Whoo!

I’m excited.

Since leaving Orlando over six years ago I haven’t made it to EPCOT and I’m ready to introduce my kids to it. This involves finding the Leave A Legacy photo my husband and I did the day after we got married, visiting all the fun rides within Future World, and then over to my favorite part – the World Showcase.

I can go on and on and on about how much I love World Showcase. The restaurants. The shopping (hello Japan!). Hello any cultural experience available outside of Metropolitan Orlando.

And for me, introducing my kids to the World Showcase means a fine selection of books set in each of the countries represented at EPCOT. And here we go.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion

This is not a specifically set in Mexico, but is a bilingual book starring a Mexican-American boy who is thankful for everything. My kids, who are so interested in the Spanish, will love this book. Add that to the wonderful storytelling (this time, poetry) and illustrations by John Parra – and we have a winner.

Another option to learn more about the country is the Unpacked series. Their Mexico edition came out in October of 2016. This talks about the sights, history, culture, food, and people that make Mexico the destination it is today.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Norway Pavilion

Or any Frozen book will do. I haven’t been to EPCOT since they replaced my favorite ride with the Frozen-inspired version, but I’ve heard good things. In case you, or your kids, aren’t familiar with the story – time to brush up before your trip to Norway!

Sure the Norway Pavilion is Frozen-inspired, but, there should still be some references to the Norse Myths as you visit the Stave church and shops? Right? Well, it doesn’t hurt to know some of the famous mythology anyway.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s China Pavilion

Since there’s a replica of the Temple of Heaven at the China Pavilion, it only makes sense to read a book that mentions it. Bella and Harry visit all of the popular Beijing hotspots, many of which will be included in the 360-degree film.

The exhibits and shows at the China Pavilion are more than just Beijing, so to help make up for the differences of what to expect when visiting – try out this book of activities that kids will surely enjoy.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Germany Pavilion

The biergarten at the Germany Pavilion is one of my favorite places to eat. It’s just fun. The buffet choices are delicious. I love it. It has a very Bavarian feel to it, so reading more about Munich just makes sense.

I’ll be honest. My German-born children are constantly inundated with books about all things German. They’re well-versed. However, I think this series of things that came from their birth country would be interesting for all of us, and help us to prepare for the shopping opportunities at EPCOT’s German pavilion.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Italy Pavilion

The Italian Pavilion at EPCOT is heavily inspired by the city of Venice. If your travels have never taken you there, this is a good compromise. And before heading to Orlando, this pop-up book is a fun way to get to know the sites of you’ll soon see.

From previous visits to EPCOT it seems that the Italy Pavilion is focused on the atmosphere, food, and shopping to give you an Italian feel. There are opportunities to meet the most famous Italian Disney character, Pinocchio, so prepare by reading the book.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s America Pavilion

The American Pavilion at EPCOT has a very colonial feel to it. A very clean, disneyfied (of course), version of the colonies. So, why not have some fun with American history and look at some of the yuckier parts of that era?

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Japan Pavilion

The first thing a visitor walking into the Japan Pavilion notices is the awesome architecture. Most of the “look” of EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion was inspired by Ancient Japan. So we’ll spend sometime checking out the cool buildings before heading inside to my one of the best places ever…

… the inside of the palace is a huge department store. They sell real Japanese goods. Kimonos, kitchen items, toys, food, etc. It reminds me of my younger years in Okinawa. It is my favorite shopping destination in Orlando and I can’t wait to take my kids. However, knowing them, they will not have the patience to help me pick out kitchen dishes (why, yes, I do go to Epcot to get dishes). So, for me, this means making sure they’re in the know about some of the other things this shop has to offer. That means Manga, Hello Kitty, and Origami. Let their dad take them to that part of the store, while I get my serving for 8.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion

Fortunately, it’s easy enough for me to leave Japan because of the promise of fun shopping in Morocco, too. And I always love how different the feels are between the Japanese and Moroccan pavilions. I can stare at the tiles for hours. My favorite part of this pavilion (other than the sit-down restaurant) is how the shops have an outdoor feel, even if so much of it is indoor. My kids will love this book talking about the street cats of Marrakesh.

I’m taking my kids to EPCOT because I love the quick glimpse into other cultures. I’m showing them some books before we go because I like them to have more knowledge about a place. I love stories. And this story, The Storyteller, talks about the importance of storytelling using Morocco as the background. The perfect setting, if you ask me.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s France Pavilion

I’m a bit excited for Emma Watson’s live action Beauty and the Beast coming out soon. There are many books of Disney’s cartoon classic available, but this one looks fun. My kids are already familiar with Belle. I hope we get a chance to run into her and the Beast while we’re in France… Pavilion.

Is it just me, or is the Eiffel Tower the ultimate icon when talking about travel? I love the real one, the copies I’ve seen around the world, and the one at EPCOT. My kids have seen the real one and I think they’ll feel the same as I do about them all. But, even though this is just a fraction of the size of the original, why not bump up our knowledge about the building while we’re at it?

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s United Kingdom Pavilion

I’ll admit that I haven’t spent too much time in the UK Pavilion on previous EPCOT trips. I lived near a really good pub and the lack of attractions had me just breeze on through. But, I’ve read that there’s a building based off of William Shakespeare’s wife’s childhood home. So now, a brief intro to Shakespeare may be worth it.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Canada Pavilion

I took a course called “Canadian history” when I was in college. Within the first few days of class, I discovered that I knew nothing about Canada. It’s important to me that my kids know about our current neighbor to the north (which is where their grandfather is from), and this book is a nice introduction to the many sites and sounds of one of my favorite places to visit in real life and in EPCOT life.

Whenever I ask anyone about books about Canada, they mention this series. People love it. I haven’t read it and there’s no way that I will before we go to EPCOT. But, this is still on the list. If you’re looking to stock up on the books, I hear the shop at the Canadian Pavilion may be the place to get them all.

Whew!

Yes, I know this is a lot to get through. But, we’ll start with the ones my kids are most interested about, then move on from there. This doesn’t have to happen before our trip, either. It could happen when we get back, or read some books before we go and some when we get back. It’s just another way to help my kids have a more global view of the world through their personal experiences and books.

Planning a trip to Epcot or planning a read through the books listed anyway? Pin this for later:

Today I announce a new recurring Guest Post Series for KidsTravelBooks – I Explored, Now He’ll Explore: Souvenir Books for Aiden. What’s this about? Melissa from Baby Castan on Board frequently travels around the world. During her travels, she picks up a book or two for her son, Aiden. In this series she’ll share the books she finds and why she loves it. And now I’ll let Melissa take over.

Souvenir Books for Aiden: Dublin

I recently traveled to Ireland for a business trip. I usually travel to Europe once a year and then a few times domestically for work. Now that Aiden is here, one of my favorite things to do is purchase a book, or two, from the location I am visiting. I try to get one that is culturally relevant to the area I am visiting and a second, more fun book. Purchasing books as souvenirs will help build a diverse library and help us educate Aiden on different locations and cultures.

Cultural Book: Dublin

Photo Credit: Baby Castan on Board

For the cultural book I found a book called Irish Legends for Children. I thought this was a perfect book to bring home because if you know anything of the Irish culture, it is that they have a rich history of storytelling with many of their stories being passed down through generations.

The book includes six well known Irish legends, or short stories. The illustrations are beautiful and colorful which is great to capture the attention of a baby, and large clear lettering for when the time comes that Aiden can actually read the book. Each story has a moral which I plan to use to teach Aiden different lessons as he gets older.

One of the great things about picking up books from another country is that they can be quite different from what you might find in the United States. For example, many of the legends have adult themes such as death; the book doesn’t really gloss over, or sugarcoat those topics. This might be surprising for some parents, but I embrace the opportunity to teach Aiden about culture and educate him on the lessons the stories tell.

Fun Book: Dublin

Photo Credit: Baby Castan on Board

The second book I purchased is a pop-up book called Dublin: A Three-Dimensional Expanding City Skyline. This book is really fun and I haven’t really seen anything like it before. It is a small square of cut-paper that you pull out of a cardboard holder. As you unfold the book it opens to popular sites in Dublin and gives a little history about the location. This one was really fun because when I would Skype with Aiden, I could show him all the sites I visited.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Melissa! I am a mama to my little baby boy Aiden Milo (born November 2015), and a police wife to my husband Dan. We live in Northern Virginia. I work full time as a meeting planner for two non-profits, one of which is international, so I travel several times a year.

When we brought Aiden home we were smacked with a huge dose of reality, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. I now share my experiences and adventures of being a first-time mama on my blog babycastanonboard.com to hopefully help other first time moms.

There’s something fun about following the same book character(s) through a series of books. The kids become more familiar with the character and parents know what to expect.

Here’s a list of 8 book series that tell stories of their main characters traveling the world.

Please note that I link to both the KidsTravelBooks directory and Amazon. In some cases, the series listed in KidsTravelBooks only has a sampling of books available (I’m working on it!), so I link to Amazon’s complete listing of the book for your convenience. (Links to Amazon are affiliate links.)

Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures

These books are based off of the original Flat Stanley series of decades ago. Join Flat Stanley and his family, the Lambchops, as they find adventures around the world. Children will also love printing out their own Flat Stanley to bring on their trip.

Benjamin Blog and his Inquisitive Dog

This fun series provides a different format for readers. Benjamin shares his adventures with his dog, Marco Polo, via a series of blog posts. Don’t worry, you don’t need wi-fi to read them. They’re all in the book. These are fact-filled with real photos.

Adventures of Riley

Animal lovers will enjoy the Adventures of Riley series. Riley frequently joins her Uncle Max, a biologist, on animal studies around the world. Please note that some of the books in the series are hard to find (but not impossible)!

KeeKee’s Big Adventures

I first learned about KeeKee through my friends at The Three Under and Gone with the Family. They love how KeeKee the Cat introduces young children to the landmarks, culture, food, and more of each of her destinations.

Magic Tree House/Fact Checker

Kids and parents both love the Magic Tree House series. Not all of their books are travel-based, but many are. What makes it extra fun is their accompanying Fact Checker series to help readers learn more about the destinations behind Annie and Jack’s trips.

Written by: by Mary Pope Osborne, Natalie Pope Boyce, Will Osborne (and other contributors depending on the specific book).

Molly and the Magic Suitcase

Of course, no list of travel series on this site will be complete without mentioning Molly and the Magic Suitcase. Molly and Michael travel the world and meet local children who take them on a cultural tour around their city.

Kids Travel Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.